Hate crime enhancers used in Grant County brawl | Crime

GRANT COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) — Two brothers have been charged for their involvement in a brawl in Grant County that included punches, chokeholds and racial slurs, according to court records.

Brothers Anthony Drapeau, 20, and Christopher Drapeau, 21, were charged after investigators say they attacked victims Keagan Taylor and Tatum Zuehlke in Jamestown Township, between Kieler and Dubuque, IA. Taylor and Zuehlke are both people of color.

The Drapeau brothers are charged with assault with additional surcharges as accessory to a crime, disturbing the peace with additional surcharges as accessory to a hate crime, and criminal damage (over $2,500) with additional surcharges as accessory to a crime.

The brawl occurred on August 18, shortly after the victims were asked to leave a party because the host did not know them.

As Zuehlke was leaving, he said he made a comment along the lines of “that sucks.” That was apparently when the group of white men started shouting racist epithets at him and chasing him, Zuehlke recalled.

A 26-second video posted online shows a man wearing a white hat punching Taylor in the face, then putting Taylor in a chokehold while he and others shout racist epithets at him and tell him to die.

“I've heard every single racist statement you can make. There's nothing you could say to me more than what they said,” Taylor told 27 News.

Taylor also said that his clothes, backpack and a chain were ripped from his body.

In court records, Christopher Drapeau is listed as Caucasian. Anthony Drapeau is listed as African American.

Christopher Drapeau's address is listed in Bellevue, IA. Anthony Drapeau's address is in Hazel Green.

The brothers' first court date is scheduled for Monday.

27 News has requested additional court documents and will review them Friday afternoon. WKOW will have more on this developing story Friday at 5 and 6 p.m.